This clarification has come a day after a central government’s counsel told the Punjab and Haryana High Court that a 2003 notification preventing “Sehajdhari” Sikhs from voting in the SGPC elections had been withdrawn. The court was hearing pleas seeking voting rights to “Sehajdhari” Sikhs in the SGPC elections. The issue was taken up in the Rajya Sabha by the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as soon as the house met at 11 am.
Reading a statement on behalf of Home Minister P Chidambaram, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the government had not withdrawn the notification.
“Government also wishes to make it clear that there is no proposal to resend or withdraw the notification dated October 8, 2003. Elections to the SGPC will be held as per schedule. Government will also bring the above facts to the notice of the high court today,” he said.
Badal sees Conspiracy – want clarification:
In another report from Chandigarh the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that the conspiracy behind “the Center’s stand before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the SGPC poll issue yesterday must be probed and those behind it be punished. He claimed there there was a conspiracy to play havoc with India’s alleged national interests and with the hard earned atmosphere of peace and communal harmony in the state.